Summer Reading List.

Summer goes closer and closer with each passing day.  So close I can taste the freedom. 

However, the stark reality is that I still have 12 days left of school.  Twelve.  Long.  Days.  SO, in order to keep my sanity in tact I have started blogging regularly.  Hopefully this will not stop when the summer actually arrives, but I need this life raft for the time being. 

Today I have been thinking about my Summer Reading List.  In my class I will be discussing this very soon with my students, so I thought I would get a head start.  Granted, I only have 5 weeks this summer to read, but might as well shoot for the stars.  Here it goes.

For Myself
Infidel - recommended by my amazing teaching partner Jessica Hanzlik along with . . .
A Border Passage
Kite Runner - has been sitting on my shelf for years (yes, one of thoooose books)
Alice, I have been - sent to me by my dear friend Carrie Smith, whose opinion I trust implicitly

For my Literature Circles
Black Like Me - recommended by Jenny Knol for my higher level kids next year
Warriors Don't Cry - I put this on my shelf this year to see how the kids would respond to it and I've gotten positive feedback so far . . . I think it's a keeper
A Long Way Gone - recommended by Jenn Lundin, and again, I put it on my shelf for the kids and they have loved it!
I am the Cheese - a book used by Nancie Atwell in her reading workshop.  If she approves it, I'll try it.
That was Then, This is Now - recommended by Sandra Medina as an alternative to The Outsiders

Instructional Books
Teach Like a Champion - I just have to see what all the hype is about
Teaching Adolescent Writers - I need to work on my writing workshop and I'll take all the help I can get!
So, What Do they Really Now? - I found this book by Cris Tovani about assessments, and thought it might have some good information.  I do love her other stuff. . .

I know, I know.  This is a pretty lofty list for only having 5 weeks, but I think I may put the books on my Ipod for when I'm driving back and forth to up north.